Matt McCarty wasted no time making the most of his rookie season on the PGA Tour, as the newcomer won the inaugural Black Desert Championship on Sunday in Ivins, Utah.
McCarty held the 54-hole lead and was clinging to a one-shot edge when he reached the short par-4 14th hole at Black Desert Resort. An incredible tee shot set up a short eagle putt that tripled his lead.
He wrapped up at 4-under-par 67, putting him at 23-under 261 for the week, three strokes better than Germany’s Stephan Jaeger (68 on Sunday).
McCarty, a lefty-swinging 26-year-old from Arizona, clinched instant promotion to the PGA Tour earlier this year by winning three times on the Korn Ferry Tour. Sunday’s victory, in just his second start of the fall, gave him a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour.
“It’s been an unbelievable last few months for me. But just to like kind of play well today, that’s all I wanted to do, give myself a chance,” McCarty said. “I knew it was going to be tough and a lot of different — more emotion, more nerves than it’s been out there.
“But, yeah, I’m really proud of how I was able to handle myself out there today, and honestly this whole week. I had a lot of fun.”
Early in the final round, Lucas Glover and Germany’s Matti Schmid posted matching scores of 9-under 62 to rocket up the leaderboard. Glover rose to 19 under to apply pressure on McCarty before ultimately tying for third with Kevin Streelman (69). Schmid finished fifth at 18 under.
“If I putted like that the first three days, I probably would’ve been playing a lot later today and been in a whole different position,” Glover said. “So, yeah, just if I’d have putted better the first three days I would’ve been right there. I played identical as today; just made some putts.”
McCarty — who posted a 62 Thursday and a 64 Saturday — birdied two holes on the front nine and bogeyed No. 12 before reaching the 310-yard 14th hole. His tee shot took two hops before rolling gently onto the green, stopping inside 4 feet of the pin.
McCarty then went birdie-bogey-birdie over his final three holes before celebrating with his caddie and family.
The Black Desert Championship, the latest addition to the FedEx Cup Fall series, was the PGA Tour’s first stop in Utah since 1963.
–Field Level Media
